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Sweden stands alone on car phone free-for-all

Sweden is the only country in Europe which still allows car drivers to talk on their phones without using a handsfree; a situation which is dangerous and has to change, according to the Swedish Automobile Association (Motormannen).

Published: 15 September 2010 15:15 CEST

Sweden stands alone on car phone free-for-all

According to the association between 10 and 20 people die or are seriously injured in traffic each year due to mobile use at the wheel.

“We know that the risk of accidents is much higher. We demand that the government enact legislation to introduce a handsfree requirement – the accident risk is up to 23 times greater,” Motormannen CEO Maria Spetz told The Local.

Spetz said that the association has forwarded its demand to the infrastructure minister Åsa Torstensson, but has not received a satisfactory reply for why Sweden stands alone on the issue.

“I don’t understand the government’s stand on this. She (Torstensson) just says no, despite the fact that the Transport Administration has reports supporting the call,” Spez said.

Since Albania’s introduction of a handsfree requirement for the use of mobile phones while driving early this year, Sweden is now the only country in Europe without legislation on the issue.

“Sweden is a model country when it comes to traffic safety, and we should thus at least hold the same minimum standards as the rest of Europe,” said Spetz.

Furthermore, Maria Spetz argues, there is widespread support for restrictions on the current mobile phone free-for-all.

“The handsfree requirement has the broad support of Swedes. There is no reason for not introducing this requirement, when you can see the positive effects on traffic security.”

The Local’s attempts to contact infrastructure minister Åsa Torstensson for a comment have been unsuccessful.

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EXPLAINED: When can a child sit in the front seat of a car in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, a simple rule for taking children in motor vehicles has been in place for a good two decades: Every child up to a height of 150 cm or the age of 12 must travel in a suitable child seat.

Its Austrian neighbour has even stricter rules in place. Babies and children in Austria must be correctly secured in a child’s seat up to the age of 14 if they are below 135 cm in height.

The German law takes a more relaxed approach and regulates that children from the age of 12 or those that are taller than 150 cm can ride in the vehicle without a child seat – with the appropriate seat belt, of course.

When can a child sit in the front?

According to the law in Switzerland, once a child has reached a height of 150 cm, they can sit anywhere in the car with or without a child or booster seat.

However, a child needs to reach a minimum height of 150 cm for the safety belts to guarantee their safety in a way that the neck is not constricted while driving in the event of sudden braking or an accident.

In principle, children are allowed to sit on the front passenger seat regardless of their age, however, this is not recommended by experts who argue that children are much safer in the back of the car. Furthermore, if a vehicle is equipped with airbags, rear-facing car seats may only be used if the front airbag on the passenger’s side is deactivated.

A driver at the Stelvio Pass, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Switzerland.

A driver at the Stelvio Pass, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Switzerland. Photo by Jaromír Kavan on Unsplash

Can I be fined for my child travelling without an appropriate car seat?

You can and you will. The fine for transporting an unsecured child under the age of 12 is 60 francs, which, given the risk driving without an appropriate child seat poses to your child’s life, is mild.

But what about public transport?

Though this may seem illogical to some, Switzerland does not have any safety laws dictating that car seats be used on its buses, meaning it is not uncommon to see mothers standing in the aisle of a packed bus with a baby in a sling while struggling to hold on to a pole for stability.

Though politicians did briefly discuss equipping buses with baby and child seats in 2017 to avoid potential risks to minors, nothing came of it. Ultimately, supplying buses with special seats or introducing seat belts proved unrealistic given the number of seats and considering how often people hop on and off a bus – there is a stop almost every 300 metres in Switzerland.

Instead, drivers are now better informed of the dangers posed to minors travelling on their vehicles and parents are advised to leave children in strollers and not load those with heavy shopping bags.

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